Seat



Dec. 22, 1953 E. w. om 2,663,360

SEAT

Filed May 3, 1951 Patented Dec. 22, 1953 SEAT Edward W. Ory, Chicago,

Englander Company, Inc.,

poration of Delaware Application May 3, 1951, Serial No. 224,361

1 Claim.

1 Y The present invention relates generally to seats of the type intended primarily for use in automotive vehicles although the features ofthe invention can be readily incorporated in upholstered chairs, sofas, and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in seat construction wherein resilience is afforded by a torsio-elastic device. This general type of seat construction is shown in the prior art, examples of which are described in U. S. Patent No. 2,073,872 issued March 16, 1937. Such prior constructions have not proved entirely satisfactory for a number of reasons and as a result have failed to come into common use.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved seat construction which affords greater comfort than prior constructions, which isk readily adaptable to persons of light and heavy physique and which overcomes the disadvantages of prior devices of the same general type, particularly when used in automobiles, motor buses and the like.

' It is another object to provide a seat including a torsio-elastic device which has a greater range of utility than prior art seats and which presents a better appearance, remaining stably positioned and without any tendency toward bobn bing when unoccupied. l

The objects of the invention thus generally set forth, together with other objects and ancillary advantages, are attained by the construction and arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section through a seat embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially in the plane of line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially in the plane of line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

lWhile the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, there is shown in the drawing and will herein be described in detail thepreferred embodiment, but it isto be understoodthat it is not thereby intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed, but it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as Y expressed in the appended claim.

By way of illustration there is shown in the drawing a seat embodying the features of the present invention which is intended for use as Ill., assigner to The Chicago, Ill., a corthe front seat of a conventional passenger automobile. The seat, generally designated I0, is equipped with an upholstered back l2 and is mounted for fore-and-aft adjustment of its positio'n with respect to the automobile floor I3. .The seat l0 is attached to the vehicle floor I3 by means of interengaging channel and track members I4 and l5, respectively, by means of which its fore-and-aft position can be altered.

The channel members I4 are made rigid with the bottom` frame structure 1B of the seat lll, such structure including rigid transverse end members ita.. It will be apparent that the bottom frame structure i6, including the end members Ita, and the channels I4 and tracks l5 provide a stationary base relative to which movement of the remainder of the elements of the seat l occurs.

The seat lil further includes a frame 26 which may be formed of relatively heavy gauge wire or, as shown, of flexible sheet metal. A suitable ller 2l which may be foam rubber is placed on the frame 2t, the same being retained in position by a suitable covering 22. The latter may be of fabric, leather, or plastic material as desired. As shown, the covering 22 is extended over the edges of the seat and downwardly therefrom where it is attached along the edges of the bottom seat frame I6, thus providing a shroud enclosing the other seat elements.

The seat frame 20 is resiliently supported by means of torsio-elastic devices 23. To this end, rearwardly of the front edge of the seat I0 the seat frame 20 is bent downwardly to form a skirt portion 2t, and adjacent each of its ends the skirt has an arcuate arm 26 struck therefrom. The latter are attached to the torsio-elastic devices 23. Each of the torsio-elastic devices 23 includes an Outer cylindrical sleeve 3l within which is an annular bushing 32 of rubber or other elastic material, the saine being vulcanized or otherwise surfacebonded to the sleeve 3|. Internally of the elastic bushing 32 is a second metallic sleeve 33 which is also surface bonded to the elastic bushing 32. As best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, it is to the external sleeve 3l that the seat frame arms 26 are secured.

To support the torsio-elastic device 23, a trans verse rod 35 is provided which has its ends received in suitable journals 3G which are rigid with the transverse end members Ita of the stationaryvbottom frame I6 of the seat structure. Adjacent its ends, the rod 35 extends through the central sleeves 33 of the torsiodiierent weights, provision is made for adjusting the degree of firmness afforded by the seat To this end, means is provided for adjustably prestressing the torsionaljbushings 32 of the torsio-elastic devices 23. This is accomplished in the present instance through the provision of a worm drive, generally indicated fat 40, which is Y l operative to rotate the rod 35 and thus the central sleeves 33 of the torsio-elastic -devices 23 which are iixed thereto with respect to the outer sleeve'sSl.

'LAS shown-the wor'x'iidiive 40 comprises la worm 4l -jour'naledlin brackets 42 which #are mounted on the stationary bottom frame it 'of the seat structure. vThe 'worm -4i I li's equippedwith a hand crank '43 and meshes 'withf'a worm gear 4d which is suitably keyed to 'the "ro'd 135. The worm device Imay libe conveniently positioned centrally of the seat l "so 'as to 'beacces'sible for adjustment by :an occupantfo'f*either-lsidethereof.

`If a heavy person 'to Loccupy the seat, it is desirable 'to increaseftheftorsion'al resistance of the 4device 23 'which iin effect iwill make the Vseat Tin'e rm. This is`-ccoinplislf1ed:simply `by rotatinglthe `handc'rank y'113 and lworm 4l so as to rotate 'the'rodf35 land"sleevef33 in afcounterclock- 'wise direction as'sli'own in the drawing. Similarly, if the seat is to be adjusted itofaccornmo- `Vdate a `person of relatively 'light weight, it is de- Vsizable rto 'reduce Vthe `-degree v'of 'firmness of the seat. This is accomplished 'by effecting lessy re- Yfsistialnc'e to k'tor-sionalS-yieldinghy rotating thefhand 1er-ank 43 'and 4worm "'41 lfin va lclockwise direction SUasftoSiII-iilalyrotate theOdS andsleve 33.

f1-n order to Y'stabilize 'the unoccupied Aor :free position:of the s'eat, fa ltie strap V501er the like is or otherwise Lfastened :to `the frame 2B Iand in- 'cludes-anlorsetiportion 50a which i's turned under `the bottom frame. `-I-f desired, more than one used, yfor examplain abus, it insures that 'a uniform vappealrance is inaintanerd for all of 'the "seats V,which are 'not in use. K Furthermore, the

"seat 'is *positively fan'eliored against `movement when Lit is inot `in ii'se and ithe "bbbbing which would otherwise occur is completely eliminated.

YA still further -ladvantag'e of the present construction fis that yfit permits :'preloa'ding of `the ftorsioneadjfusting mechanism. Uponrefe'rence Lto Figure 1 ii-,w-illlbe ntedthatthe'adjusting crank may be rotated to bias the yseatlstrongly 1in the 'upward direction "without any accompanying 'bodily movement of'-the1seatfits`e1f. `When vthe `s'eat -is vrather :substantially preloaded, `it may be 4 occupied by a heavy person with only a limited amount of downward movement ofthe seat relative to the frame and Without any danger of the seat bottoming on the frame. j

It will be apparent that upon increasing the torsional resistance of the devices 23, the seat frame 2i! tends to be rotated `in a counterclockwise direction. IAny si-ich Ymovement Vin the unoccupied seat is resisted by the straps 50. Nevfertheless, such tendency to move in a counterclockwise direction will be manifested in a slight upward bowing of the horizontal seat frame 20 which Vwill eiect Ifurther increased firmness of the seat to accommodate extremely heavy loads. It will "alsoYbe-ap'parent from an inspection of Fig.y v1 of the drawing that even if the seat be so severely loaded 'that the rear edge of the frame 20 is swung downwardly until it engages the stationary bottom frame i6, the resilient character of the frame 20 still anords some flexibility in addition to the cushioning afforded by 'the -ller -2I.

It will be apparent that if a person were 'to Amove forwardly on the seat his weight wouldbe disposed almost directly over the torsio-elastic `devices `23. rfhus the lever arm 'action of the frame V20 would befreduced to a point where substantially no rotation of the sleeve l3"! could be effected. Another important aspect of vthefp'resent constructioifi,A therefore, vlies inr'thefprovision o f means for softening the front Vedge of the 'seat i0. Touthis end avrow of vertically disposed coil springs 55 is provided along theront of the seat beneath the iront portion of 'the filler A2i. To support the springs 55, the lower Vedge portion of the seat frame Vskirt V2214 is bent'forwardly'fto provide a ledge 55 disposed directly =beneath the front edge of the seat, andthe springs '55 are attached thereto.

I claim as myinvention:

A seat comprising, in combination, a ''xed frame, va. torsioq-elastic *device supported on said iixed frame adjacent the front edge thereof, a vseat frame having a dependingfskirt portion along its front edge iixed to said device lto sup-port said seat frame inY spacedrelation above said iix'ed frame, the free edge of saidcskirt portion projecting outwardly to define ya ledge, a resilient ller supported on top of said seat 'frame and having a portion projecting beyond the :iront edge thereof', andV a row of vertically disposed coil springs xed to said ledge Aand supporting the projecting portion of said fllerto 4provide the seat with a soft front edge.

kEDWARD `W. 'O'R`Y.

References 'Cited in the nie of "this -patent `UNITED STAT-Es YPA'rENfrs 

